Due to rapid advances in technology, there is an ever increasing number of different portable communication devices used in a variety of environmental conditions. Since most portable communication devices typically use a battery pack for operation, the number of battery packs that are manufactured must be the same as the number of portable communication devices. In order to reduce the need for many battery packs and further to improve logistics, a single battery pack with two contact sets can be used to support two different portable communication devices with different radio contact locations. The use of the battery pack with two contact sets also reduces the number of battery packs to half, thereby improving logistics. However, in such battery packs, the power is present at both the contact sets of the battery packs even when the contact sets are not engaged with the portable communication device. In such cases, if the contact sets that are not engaged with the portable communication devices become exposed to ionic liquids, there exists a possibility of corrosion resulting from electrolysis on these unused contact sets of the battery packs. Electrolysis is a process of accelerated corrosion resulting from an electric current within a metal in an electrolytic environment.
One approach to prevent electrolysis on the unused contact set is to provide water sealing for the exposed unused contact set. However, the water sealing approach uses physical mechanisms to cover the exposed unused contact set causing the battery contact set to cover a large area of the portable communication device thus increasing the size of the portable communication device. Therefore, there exists a need for preventing electrolysis at the unused contact set of the battery pack that does not require the use of any physical mechanism to cover the unused contact sets.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.
The method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.